This fall Dave marked 31 years in television! We hope you will enjoy this walk
back in time.

Click on a picture to see it
large, then click Back on your browser to return to the Photo Album.

Earliest picture of Dave as a television
broadcaster. 1979 ID card in Huntington, WV. Way too much hair
and way too much pancake make-up!

Within a month of moving from WMBD TV in Peoria, IL, to WHIO TV in Dayton, OH, Dave was thrown into covering the Miamisburg train derailment and chemical fire. The incident remains to this day the largest evacuation due to a train derailment in US history. Even though a newly arrived reporter, Dave was assigned to Chopper 7 to take a look at what happened. Miamisburg Fire Captain Billy Ring and Dave provided play by play aerial coverage of the incident over 5 days, piloted by Mark Crane. Picture was taken about a month after the incident, in August of 1986.

1988, at the Dayton International Air Show.
Robin Leach (of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous") and Dave catch a ride
on the World War II B-17 bomber "Sentimental Journey."

Dave in 1990, co-hosting the Children's Miracle Network
Telethon on WHIO TV in Dayton. Dave returned to hosting CMN many years
later in Wichita!

Dave in the fall of 1991, at WHIO TV in Dayton.

Dave and his wife Tracy ham it up in a 1991 charity
"whodunit" for the Boy Scouts in Dayton. Tracy was pregnant with the
second little Freeman at the time.

Dave in 1992, at WHIO TV in Dayton. This picture
appeared in the first edition of "When the Sky Goes Boom."

Dave in 1992, at WHIO TV in Dayton. If this were a
stamp, it would be a collector's item. Dave is a lefty, and parts his
hair on the right. This picture was reversed for some reason!
Look at the previous picture, from the same sitting.

Dave flew with the US Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters to
investigate Hurricane Andrew in August of 1992. They intercepted
Andrew over the Gulf of Mexico, after it had already devastated south
Florida. The aircraft was inside the hurricane when this satellite
image was taken.

Another image of Hurricane Andrew taken when Dave was inside
the storm on board the Hurricane Hunter aircraft. In all, the aircraft
made six penetrations of the hurricane eye during a 12 hour mission.

Dave on board the Hurricane Hunter, inside the eye of
Hurricane Andrew, on August 25, 1992. Dave is watching the crew drop a
radiosonde, a device that measures weather and transmits the information
back to the aircraft.

Dave conjures up a tornado for a special report on KSN, in
the spring of 1994. Little did he realize that he would have a 20 foot
tornado just outside his office 6 years later--at
Exploration Place!

Dave in about 1994 at KSN in Wichita. Could that be the
first few gray hairs starting to sneak in?

Now those gray hairs are starting to pop! Dave in the
fall of 1995.

"There's a guy
named Dave..." In 1995, KSN kicked off promotional campaign that
highlighted Dave's school visits.

Gari Communications has kindly made
this available as a Quicktime movie. It is a large download so it may
take a few minutes to download, depending on your connection speed and how
your browser handles Quicktime.

One of the highlights of Dave's career and life--carrying the
Olympic flame in 1996. Dave carried the flame from Douglas and Waco to
the present site of Exploration Place, where this picture was taken.
He then passed the flame to a Native American, who rode in a canoe to the
Keeper of the Plains.

It took three years of
architectural and design meetings, and figuring out an entirely new way to
broadcast weather on television to prepare for the move to
Exploration Place. Many of the
ideas and methods created were so successful they were brought back to the
KSN main studios when the WeatherLab moved back in January of 2007.

Because no one had ever integrated a TV weather operation
into the design and program of a science center, the KSN WeatherLab @
Exploration Place received national attention. This picture
appeared in Weatherwise magazine
in January of 2001.

Dave quickly became friends with Martin Ratcliffe,
then Director of Theatres at Exploration
Place. Martin is also a noted
amateur astronomer and author. EP opening day, April, 2000.

The KSN WeatherLab Team in 2001. Meteorologists Rodney
Price, Dave Schaffer,
Chief Meteorologist Dave Freeman, and Meteorologist
Mark Bogner. Over 7
years, the group became a
close-knit group of friends.

Dave has had a long association with the
Wichita Symphony
Orchestra, including a long run as the host of the annual Blue Jeans
Concert. In January of 2001, the theme was a Space Odyssey.

With the assistance of the
Kansas Cosmosphere, Dave suited up in a replica Apollo space suit to
capture the proper...er, uh...atmosphere!

Dave is ready to take the stage for the opening of the
concert.

The concert also featured Dave in a Star Trek uniform before
he finally ended in blue jeans. Dave noticed that Captain Picard was a
bit stiff backstage.

Dave and Tracy Freeman, and former KSN News Anchor
Anita Cochran and Kent
Cochran take time to celebrate Tracy's birthday.

Dave pictured in August of 2003, shortly after celebrating 10
years as Chief Meteorologist at KSN.

Dave pictured on the front of a severe weather safety
brochure. April, 2005

A new edition of "When the Sky Goes
Boom" is published. Dave co-authored the coloring book for toddlers
while at WHIO TV in Dayton, OH. There are now about 200,000 copies in
print. April, 2005

The KSN WeatherLab Team welcomed a new member in December of
2005, Meteorologist Andrew Kozak. Pictured here:
Leon Smitherman, Dave,
Andrew Kozak and
Mark Bogner.

Dave loves to visit kids, and with the younger set, "When the
Sky Goes Boom" makes for a fun read!

Derby, KS, March, 2005

Dave visits here with the Wee Panther Pals program in Derby,
just SE of Wichita.

March, 2005

"When the Sky Goes Boom" was co-authored by Dave along with a
pediatrician and a child psychologist. It is great for helping 3-5 year olds
cope with their natural fear of storms.

March, 2005

Dave broadcasts live from the Kansas State Fair in September
of 2006. Believe it or not, the shirt was actually found on the
clearance rack at Sheplers in Wichita. It was not a special order!

Dave and Mark Bogner are happy to serve as "Co-Kernels" for
the Boy Scout Popcorn Sale!
"Flat Dave" and "Flat Mark" made the rounds to encourage the Scouts in
their efforts to sell popcorn and raise funds.

Dave challenged the youth and children of the Wichita area
to raise more money for the United Way School Campaign in the fall of 2006.
The payoff: if they met the challenge, Dave would wear Crazy Hair on
KSN News at 5, 6 and 10PM. It was a great victory for United Way and a
real fashion statement!

Dave reports from the site of the devastating Greensburg, Kansas, tornado.
Dave reported 1 week after the tornado.
See photos of
Dave's tour of the city. Now UPDATED with images from KSN's coverage of
the tornado!

Trying to convey the feel of the somber scene and determination of the
people of Greensburg.

Time for some fun--Dave and Tracy on a SCUBA diving adventure
in Florida with KSN Anchor Anita Cochran and her husband, Kent.

In August of 2007, Dave fulfilled a boyhood dream courtesy of
Wichita Wranglers play by play announcer Eric Andersson. Eric invited Dave
to call a couple of innings as the Wranglers hosted the Tulsa Drillers.
Click here to listen! Courtesy of
93.5 FM KWME.

In late 2007, the Wichita Public Schools USD 259 launched a
campaign to communicate the strengths of the district. Dave and his
wife Tracy were honored to be asked to participate.

The National Weather Association named Dave "Broadcaster of
the Year for 2008!" Here Dave receives his award from NWA President (and
former Weather Channel meteorologist) John Scala.

Dave was honored "for life-saving service during the May 4,
2007 Greensburg, KS tornado outbreak and for sustained promotion of improved
private/public service partnerships enhancing forecasts and warning services
in Kansas."

Is this how a new career begins? 6 year old Austin helps get the word out regarding dangerous storms in June of 2009.

Dave and former Wichita Symphony Orchestra Maestro Andrew Sewell, backstage at "Death on the Downbeat." Dave has greatly enjoyed working with Andrew during his tenure with the Symphony.

January, 2010

Dave backstage with the stars and creators of "Death on the Downbeat." Maggie Petersen and Doug MacIntyre formed the Magic Circle Mime Company and created the enjoyable and entertaining spoof of murder and mystery, set to wonderful music.

January, 2010

Dave joins "High Instability" Internet Radio as a guest to talk weather. They say, "This ain't your Daddy's weather radio" and it is a pretty animated talk show about weather. Dave was a guest in February of 2011.

Dave was honored by the National Weather Service with a special Public Service Award for his help in changing the national severe weather criteria for hail. The change, from .75" (penny size) to 1" (about the size of a quarter) has reduced the number of warnings, placing greater emphasis on truly dangerous storms. Presenting the award to Dave are Dick Elder, Meteorologist in Charge at the NWS Wichita Office; and Chance Hayes, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at Wichita. Dick and Chance have also been honored for their work to change the hail criteria, earning a prestigious Bronze Medal from the US Department of Commerce.

Regular viewers and listeners know that Dave is
fond of old Cadillac's. Dave is pictured here in the summer of 2002
with his treasure: a rare 1963 Cadillac Park Avenue DeVille with just
7900 actual miles. The car appears black here, due to the lighting.
It is actually a beautiful maroon.

Dave and Tracy line up with the Central Plains
Region of the Cadillac-LaSalle Club for the St. Patrick's Day parade in
Wichita in 2001. Here you see that beautiful color beneath a stunning
Kansas sky.

The fins on old Caddy's aren't the only kind of
fins Dave enjoys! Dave is a
PADI Master SCUBA Diver Trainer, and
Tracy is a PADI professional Divemaster. Here
they are hanging out on a reef off Cozumel, Mexico.

Dave says "Hi!" from a reef off Grand Cayman
Island.

Dave and Tracy say, "A-OK!" after a dive at
Grand Cayman Island. Behind them,
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's
incredible Navigator of the Seas, where the Freeman's celebrated their 20th
anniversary in 2004.

Dave returns to the dive boat after a dive at
the Caribbean island of Antigua in January of 2005.

Dave does the "Jacques Cousteau" back roll entry
on a dive in Barbados.

Dave about 45' down in Barbados, proving that
SCUBA diving really is the lazy man's sport.

Dave gives the surface "OK" signal in Barbados.

Dave and his wife Tracy are "dive buddies for
life!" Here's the reaction to a dive in Barbados.

Dave and Tracy enjoyed cruising on
Celebrity's
beautiful
Constellation with dive stops along the way. Here, Dave is
on the dive boat with Constellation over his shoulder at Grenada.

Grenada is recovering from the devastation of
Hurricane Ivan, which struck the island on September 7, 2004. These
pictures are from the capital city of St. George's. Notice that there
is no roof to the right of the church steeple.

This shop was deroofed and gutted by Ivan near
the waterfront in St. George's.

Even four months later, the effects of Ivan are
plain to see. Some estimates say that 80-90% of the homes in Grenada
were damaged or destroyed by Ivan.

This was a brand new sports stadium, collapsed
by Ivan.

Note the number of roofs missing, and the number
of buildings covered by tarps.

This building's roof was peeled away by Ivan's
Category 5 winds.

One of Grenada's main industries is tourism, and
fortunately the island's beautiful reefs and haunting wrecks were not
damaged by Ivan. Here, Dave hangs out on a wreck dive near St.
George's.

This stunning double rainbow was photographed by
Dave in the harbor of St. George's. Let's hope it is a good sign for
the people of Grenada. Read more about Ivan and Grenada in
Dave's web column.

Dave discovers a West Indian Sea Egg during a
dive at St. Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands.

Dave hanging around on a reef off Key Largo,
Florida.

Dave at the port side prop of the
USS Spiegel Grove, sunk as an
artificial reef off Key Largo, FL. The ship rested on her starboard
side until Hurricane
Dennis rolled her into an upright position just a couple of months after
this picture was taken. The keel and props are now buried in sand and hidden
forever!

Dave and his dive buddy say hello to a resident
of the reef off Key Largo, FL, a Southern Stingray.

Dave celebrates his 100th logged SCUBA dive at
the Wreck of the Rhone, in the British Virgin Islands. This ship was sunk by
a hurricane in 1867, with the loss of about 100 lives. Today it is still
remarkably well-preserved and a world-famous dive site.

While diving in the British Virgin Islands, Dave
is caught up in the spirit of the Pirates of the Caribbean! A dive knife
found on the bottom of the ocean becomes a souvenir!

The British Virgin Islands have many wrecks to
dive including this airplane fuselage sunk as an artificial reef. Please
make sure your seat backs are in the upright position and your tray tables
are....

Dave and his dive buddy for life, Tracy, explore
the reefs of the British Virgin Islands.

Dave explores the USS Duane, sunk as an
artificial reef off the coast of Key Largo, FL.

June, 2006

A very happy Dave at home on a beautiful reef
off Key Largo, FL.

June, 2006

Dave finishing a dive at Lake Tahoe, NV.
Not only a happy diver but a happy weather geek--note the snow squall in
progress in the background! Air temperature: 39F; water temperature 52F all
the way to 94' deep!

October, 2007

Dave and Tracy spotted this on the way back in
to shore from a SCUBA dive in Aruba. Dave grabbed his underwater camera,
switched to land mode, and fired off pictures until the battery gave out.

December, 2007

It is probably a waterspout (over water) as
opposed to a tornado (over land). But the bottom line is that they are
really the same thing!

December, 2007

A study in contrasts.... Life goes on in
the foreground in spite of the threatening background.

This is "Bruiser," who is, as you can see, about 5' long and about 2' "tall." This species can grow to immense sizes. Elsewhere on the reefs at Key Largo you can find the "Mini-Cooper Grouper," which is exactly what the name implies!

January, 2010

A face only a mother could love.... But the fish sure is handsome, eh?

January, 2010

What is it like to be one of the "Men of Honor?" Dave got to find out in Key Largo in January of 2011.

Dave got to make a dive in a vintage 1944 US Navy brass hat rig! It is very different from diving with the freedom of modern SCUBA gear and the experience gave a whole new appreciation for the work of the real "Men of Honor."